Electricity conductor unit and method of using same



May 26,' 1942. J. F. oBRn-:N 2,284,153

ELECTRICITY CONDUCTOR UNIT AND 4METHOD vOF USING SAME l Filed March 1s,1941 2 sheets-sheet 1 INVENTOR oseph F O Brien ATTORNEY May 26, 1942. J,F, OBRlEN 2,284,163

ELECTRICITY CONDUCTOR UNIT AND METHODOF USING SAME F'i1ed March 15, 19412 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR oseph F O'rien 1. w-fg ATTORNEY Patented May26, i942l ELECTRICITY CONDUCTOR UNIT AND METHQD F USING SAME joseph F.0Brien, Jersey City, N. 1.,' assignor to John B. Pierce Foundation, NewYork, N. Y.. a corporation ci New York v Application mmh 1s, 1941,sel-n1 massless 16 Claims.

This invention relates to improved conductor units for electric wiringsystems, and to a method of using the same.

In particular. the invention relates to'wiring systems in whichindividual conductor-c arlying units ofl predetermined and preferablystandard lenghs are interconnected, in seriatim, to form a continuouselectrical circuit.

It is an object oi' the present invention to provide means .whereby oneof said serlatim-connected units-may be shortened to meet a specificcondition of installation, without mutilating or otherwise altering theconfiguration of the end portions of such shortened unit, or disturbing.

the continuity of the electrical conductors Within said unit.

A further object of the invention is an nectri- 4cal conductor-carryingunit of which the end portions are arranged for` male `and femaleconnection with contiguous conductor-carrying units, said electricalconductor-carrying unit having means whereby it may be shortened withoutalteration of the male or female end portions thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide an electrical conductorunit having a base porj tion without which, or associated with which.are electricity conductors in mutually insulated spaced relationship.and a cap portion,` removable from said base portion, having an outerconfiguration preferably matching that ofthe electricity conductor unitswith which the inntant conductor unit is adapted to be interconnected.One end of the base portion may be coniigurated to provide the maleconnection portion of the unit, and the opposite end of the cap portionmay have a configuration suitable for the female connection portion ofthe-unit. In preferred forms of the invention means are provided tosecure the cap and base portions firmly together, and also to establishan exact relationship of the cap and base portions upon theinterassembly thereof.

Reference is herein made to my co-pending application Serial No.279,086, filed June 14, 1939, entitled Conductor unit for electricalwiring sys- Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawingsz- Fig. 1 is a 'representation of a seriesof electrical conductor-carrying units, arranged in seriatim to providea continuous electrical circuit;

trating a method of serially interconnecting contiguousconductor-carrying units:

Fig. 3 is a vertical lsection of the assembled units oi' Fig.2;

Fig. 4 isla verticalv section taken lon the lines I-I of Fig.r8,enlarged to show detail;

Fig. 5 is a perspective of a conductor-carrying unit embodying thesubject matter of the present invention. said unit being inverted toshow the separability of the' component parts of the said unit: l

Fig. 6 illustrates-the manner in which the unit of Fig. 5 may be cut,after separation of the component parts thereof, to shorten the unit;

lFig. 7 illustrates'the relative position of the component partsv ofsaid unit, preparatory to reassembly:

Fig. 8 is a perspective of the cap and base portions of a second form ofunit, separated to show features thereof;

- Fig. 9 is a section taken through an assembled conductor unit of theFig. 8 type. particularly showing the keyed securement of the cap andbase portions by the tongue and groove configuration of the side wallsthereof Fig.- 10 is a perspective view, partly broken away to showstructural details, of a switch unit. embodying'the instant invention;

Fig. l1 is a section similar to the section of Figure 9, showing asecond form of keyed securement of the cap and base portion; and

Fig. l2 is a similar section showing another method of securing the capand base portions against separation.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 illustrates a fraction of a continuouswiring system comprised of serially interconnected units I0 and IlDesirably, the units lli have an overall length of sixteen inches or anyconvenient multiple thereof, to allow for securement Ato wall studsspaced sixteen inches on centers pursuant to standard building practice.

Obviously, the desired length of the wiring system may not permit theinterconnection of an equal number of the said sixteen inch units I0,and it is desirable, therefore, to provide units Ii, the length of whichis any suitable fraction, preferably one-third, oi' the length of asixteen inch unit i0, to facilitate the installation of the wiringsystem with a minimum of cutf` ting.

Further to increase the adaptability of said units Il, the presentinvention comprehends a novel construction'whereby said units may beFig. 2 is a plan view, partly in section. illus- 55 61.112 t0 desiredlength at the site of installation.

in a manner which does not disturb or disar-1 range the male and femaleend portions thereof, or interrupt the continuity of the conductorstherein.

The units i@ and ll incorporate preferably tubular conductors l2, l2uniformly positioned, during manufacture, in predetermined spacedrelationship.

The units il, in the various forms disclosed hereicomprise a cap member,generally des= igriated i3, and a base member, i4, arranged forpositioning within said cap portion in such manration by a tongue andgroove organization. lin

ner as to make the said base portion removable therefromo The cap andbase members of the respective embodiments have distinguishingcharacteristics specifically referred to herein 1 To facilitate themanufacture of the base portion, it is desirable to form it in twosections, l5, lo, each section being preferably channel shaped, and sorelated that the web portions vofeach channel are in surface contact.The conductors i2, i2 may advantageously be positioned within the baseill by providing the webs of the channel members i5, i6, withhemi-cylindrical grooves which combine to form continuous, loninsulationof the conductors I2 is unnecessary.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 4, the respective elements Iand I 6 of the base I 4 may be secured by a suitable adhesive, orassuming rubber or suitable plastic material to be used for saidmembers, the members I5 and I6 may be partially cured, the tubularconductors positioned therein and the curing completed to adhesivelybond the respective elements together to form the completed base I4. Tofacilitate the positioning of the respective elements of the baseportion, it may be desirable to provide the member l5 with a pinformation I1 adapted to be inserted into a suitable socket in the websurface of the lower member I6, see Fig. 4.

In the embodiments of the invention disclosed in Figures 9 through 12,the component portions I5 and i6 of the base member I4 are shown assecured by any suitable plurality of rivets I8.

Referring again to Fig. 4, it is seen that side walls ofthe base memberI4 of this embodiment converge upwardly and that the inner wall surfacesof the cap i3 have a complementary slope to engage the walls of baseportion I4 throughout. Such slope of the walls of the cap i3 and thebase lll facilitates the separation and the re-assembly of such cap andbase portions.

the embodiment shown, the base portion is pro-1 vided with. longitudinalgrooves 2d, said grooves being readily formed by suitably chamfering theside edges of the channel members it and i6 so that when said membersare secured as shown, a completed groove is formed. The side walls oithe cap member i3 are provided with suitable tongues 2i, 2l, positionedfor operative association with the grooves 28 of the base member. Itis'apparent that the tongue and groove organization permits the base ltobe slid outwardly of the cap i3, but that a vertical separation of thecap and base member, permitted by the conguration of the Fig. 4embodiment and illustrated in Fig. 5, is effectively restrained.

lf-nlEig. 1l, the keyed association of the cap .and base portions isaccomplished by an interlocking wedge conguration of such portions, itbeingv observed that the side Walls of the base ld and of the cap i 3are upwardly divergent, to interlock the respective parts againstWithdrawal except by sliding the base i4 longitudinally outwardly.

.in the Figure l2 embodiment, the cap member i3 is provided withinturned flanges 63a, l3a which form trackways to slidably receive thebase member M and permitseparation of the base member i6 and the capmember i3 only by sliding the said base member outwardly.

In the embodiments of Fig. 9 and Fig. l2, it is desirable tov have theinner side walls of the cap member I3 formed with a slight slope,rendering it necessary to spread the walls slightly apart during theinsertion of the base I 4. `Such arrangement takes advantage. of theresilience inherent in the configuration of the cap I3, causing the sidewalls of such cap to embrace the sides of the base I4 tightly, andmaking necessary a positive muscular eiort to separate the respectivecap and base portions.

In the embodiment of Figure 10, the cap element of the unit, designatedH3, embodies a .switch mechanism, as is fully shown and described in myco-pending application Serial No. 283,160, iiled July 7, 1939, nowPatent No. 2,239,- 654, dated Apr.- 22, 1941, and entitled Electricalswitch unit. An end I I3a of such cap portion remote from the switch isarranged to receive one or the other of the specific forms of basemember i4, previously described; in the illustration, such base portionhas the grooved organization shown in Figure 8, and the cap portionwill, therefore, be provided with tongues 2| (not shown) to cooperatewith such grooves.

As clearly appears in Fig. 2, a feature of the seriatim connectedelectrical units forming the subject matter of this invention is themale and female interconnection of contiguous units, and to eect suchinterconnection, each unit is provided with a standardized female socketportion 3B at one end, and astandardized male exten@ sion portion 33 atthe other end. Standardization Aof the socket and Aextension portionsprovides complete interchangeability of. units in interconnecting unitsto form a wiring system.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 4, the female socket portion 30results from a suitable configuration of the inner walls of the capmember i3 at the end thereof, in combination with im end wall v:il ofthe base member I the latter abutting against a squared shoulder 32, asshown clearly in Fig. 2'.

The shoulder 32 of the cap member definitely limits uis-insertion er theme member u vice which is proof against obliteration.

in such cap, and by standardizing-the configuration of the male`extension Il of -such base il, it

essaies withwill be clearly apparent that when the base mem- `V ber i4is inserted into the cap il to the pointof'.

abutmentof its end wall 3l against the wall, themale extension portion33 of the base il will extend beyond theend ofthe canA member I3 indefinite and predetermineddegree.`

In the embodiment'of the invention characterized by Figure 8, the capmember Il may or may not have'a shoulder formation 32 at'its female end.It will be seen from Figure 8 that the grooves 2l in the side walls ofthe base member I4 terminate ata definite location with respect to themale end 88 of such base: the termination of the grooves providesabutments against which the ends` vof the tongues Il will strikewhen'the base Il is slid into thecap Il, thereby/,limiting the positionof the respective cap and base 'mem- A further index lto establish theproper position of the base Il with respect to the cap I3.

shown in Figure 8, may comprise a mark :in--

scribed on the male member I3: preferably such index is in the form of agroove 8l or like de- 'I'he embodiments of Figures 11 and 12, not havingthe tongue andg'roove organization of Figure 8. may. employ either theshoulder 32 shown in Figures 6 and I or'the index 84 shown in Figure 8.or a combinati n of both. to establish the proper extent of rtion of thecap and body members. I'he Figu 10 embodiment is provided Awith thetongue and groove assembly shown'in Figure 8, and, therefore,is-self-posi-- tioning by reason of the abutment of the tongues againstthe termini. of the grooves, as previously described.

As clearly appears in'Fi'gure 2. the uniformity line of severance.

Whereas I have described my invention by simultaneously. as` suggestedinllgure 6 and re-assembling the cap and-base portions in the mannersuggestedv in Figure ,'I, the-basefmember I I will -interfit lwith thecap -member Itrinfa manner which provides pre-- cisely the sa'niev depthof female socket, and

precisely the same4 extent` of projection bf the lmale extension 3 3, aswas present inthe originalV unit. The operation of cutting -the unit mayl0:

advantageously be carried out in a mitre-box or the like to providesquare lines of severance. It

is, of course', possible to cut the desired amount from the cap and baseportions individually. Droviding care is taken in measuring the amountto be 'eut therefrom, and to establish a square reference tospeciiic'forms thereof, `it will ,be

Yunderstood thatv many ',changes and modifications may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention. I claim: 1. A `conductorunit for an electric'wiring system, comprising `a base portion extendingsubstantially the full length of the unit, 'electrical conductorslnsulatediy mounted therein, each of said electrical conductors having alength coextensive with the unit, a removable cap portion for bodilytelescoping relative with said base portion, said` cap portion and saidbase portioncooperating when in telescoped relation to pro'- -vide amale end and a female end for serlatim male and female connectionandregistry of said electrical conductors respectively with theelectrical conductors of like kpolarity of like contiguous conductorunits, and means for establishing a desired `relative position of canPortion of positioning of the conductorg Il, i2 within the means such asthe-electrically conductive, ta-

pered, pins may be employed to electrically interconnect the conductorsl2, I! of the contiguous units. Such pins li likewise serve in part tomechanically interconnect the units, but to afford a positive mechanicalinterconnection, it is desirable to provide a passage 81 through themale end 3l of a unit and a passage ll through the top wall of the capil at the4 female socket end thereof. As appears in Figure 3, therespective passages l1, 3l are so arranged that the passage 38 of a capunit registers with a passage 31 4of the base portion of the precedingunit, and accommodates a wood-screw 39 or thelike which may incidentallybe used to secure the assembled units to the studding or wall partitionof the building in which the installation is made.

A feature of the instant invention is the ease with which a unit Ii maybe shortened to meet the conditions of an installation.withoutmutilating the end construction of the unit or interrupting thecontinuity of the conductors therein. As is shown in Figure 6, suchshortenwithrespecttosaidbaseportion. Y

' 2. A'conductor unit for an electric wiring 'sys-- tem, .comprising abase extending substantially the full length of the unit, electricalconductors lnsulatediy mounted therein, each of said conductors havingla. length coextensive with the unit, a removable cap for bodilytelescoping relative with said base, said cap and said base cooperatlngwhen in telescoped relation to provide a male end and a female end forserlatim male and female connection and, registry of saidelectricalconductors respectively with the electrical conductors of. like polarityof like contiguous'.

conductor units, and means ,associated with said ycap to gage therelative positions of assembly of said base and cap to aord uniformityof the male and female. elements of said. assembled conductor unit.

3. A conductor unit for an electric wiring system comprising a cap,having atop and side walls depending therefrom. a base having 'a ilength substantially the full length of the conductor unit and arrangedto be removably housed within said cap, electrical conductor meansinsulatedly mounted within said base portion and coextensive therewith,the top and side walls of y said capca'nd the endiwall of said basecooperating to denne a socket, and meansl for gaging the position ofsaid base with respectto said l esp to insure uniformity of said socket.

4. A conductor unit for an electric wiring system, comprising thecombination with a base having upstanding side walls having convergentouterk surfaces and a web, electrical conductors electricallylnsulatediy disposedwithin saidweb and each having a length coextensivewithethe length ofthe conductor unit. saidbase portion havingsubstantially the length of the vconductor by the broken une unit, of acap arranged for separable association with said .base and having sidewalls with divergent inner faces ior mating contact with the side wallsurfaces of the base, said capand said base cooperating, upon assembly,to provide a male end and a female end for male and female associationwith contiguousunits in seriatim asn sembly, said cap portion havingmeans effective to gage the position of its associated base por tionwith respect thereto, to insure uniformity of the said male and femaleends.

5. A conductor unitfor an electric wiring system comprising `a caphavinga top and side walls depending therefrom, a base having a lengthsubstantially the full length of the conductor unit and arranged to beremovably housed Within'said cap, electrical conductor means insulatedlymounted within said cap,. electrical conductor means insulatedly mountedwithin said base portion, the top and side Walls of said cap and the endwall of said base cooperating to dene a socket, and shoulder meansprovided in said cap to establish the position of the end wall of saidbase with respect to said cap.

6. A conductor unit for a wiring system, comprisingv a cap member, abase arranged to be removably secured to said cap member, said basehaving an end portion arranged for projection beyond an end of said capmember when said cap' member and base are in operative associa'- tion,electricity conductor means arranged within said unit in mutuallyinsulated spaced relationship and extending longitudinally of said unit,and means on said `cap member for gaging the relative position of saidcap member and base to aiord a uniform extent of projection of said baseend portion with respect to said cap member.v

7. A conductor unit for a wiring system, comprising a cap member havinga top and side walls, a base arranged to be positioned Within said capmember, said base having an end portion for projection beyond an end ofsaid cap member when said cap member and base are in Operativeassociation, electricity conductor means insulatedly mounted within saidbase and extending longitudinally thereof, and means for establishingthe relative position of said cap and base members to gage the extent ofprojection of said base from said cap member.

8. A conductor unit for an electric Wiring system, comprising a capmember having an open side, a. b'aseg-.member arrangedto be removablysecured to `said cap member and serving to close the open side thereof,said base member-having an end projecting beyond' an end of said capmember when in operative position with respect to said cap member, aplurality of electricity conductor means arranged within said unit andextending longitudinally thereof in mutually insulated status, and meansfor ga'ging the relative position of said cap and b ase member toestablish the extent of projection of said base inei'nber beyond saidcap member.

9. A conductor unit for a wiring system, com prising a cap member havinga top and side walls depending therefrom, a base member arranged to beremovably secured within said cap member, said base member having wallsin engagement with the side walls of said cap member and in slidabletongue and groove relationship therewith, said base member having an endportion projecting beyond an end of said cap member when in operativeassociation therewith, electricity conductor means arranged within saidaeaaiea unit in mutually insulated spaced relationship and extendinglongitudinally of said unit, and an abutment on one of said members forengagement by the other of said members to establish the relativeposition of said cap and base members and the extent of projection ofsaid base member from said cap member.

' l0. A conductor unit for a wiring system, comprising a cap memberhaving a top and side walls depending therefrom, a base member arrangedto be removably secured within said cap member, said base member havingwalls in engagement with the side walls of said cap member and inslidable keyed relationship therewith, said base member having an endportion projecting 'beyond an end of said cap member when in operativeassociation therewith, electricity conductor means arranged within saidunit in mutually insulated spaced relationship and extendinglongitudinally of said unit, and an abutment on one of said members forengagement by the other of said members to establish the relativeposition of said cap and Vbase members and the extent of projection ofsaid base member from said cap member.

l1. A conductor unit for a wiring system, comprising a cap member havinga top and side walls depending therefrom, a base member arranged to beremovably secured to said cap member, said base member having walls inengagement with-the side walls of said cap `member and said side wallsof said cap and base members being in tongue and groove association onewith the othersaid base member having an end portion projecting beyondan end of said cap, and electricity conductor means arranged within saidunit in mutuallyinsulated spaced relationship and extendinglongitudinally of said unit, such tongue and groove relationshipterminating at a predetermined position with respect to said base memberto afford means for limiting the extent of projection of said basemember from said cap member.

l2. A conductor unit for a wiring system, comprising a cap member havinga top and side walls depending therefrom, a base member arranged to beremovably secured within said cap member, the side Walls of said capmember having a reentrant formation for engagement with the side Wallsof said base member to secure said base member to said cap member in amanner permitting only longitudinal displacement of said base memberrelative to said cap member, said base member having an end portionprojecting beyond anv end of said cap, electricity'conductor meansarranged within said unit inmutually insulated spaced relationship andextending longitudinally of said unit, and means for gaging the relativeposition of said cap and base members to iix the extent of projection ofsaid base member from said cap member.

13. A conductor unit for a Wiring system of seriatim interconnectedunits, comprising a cap member and a base member removably associatedwith said cap member, said cap member having means defining a socketportion at one end, said base member projecting from said cap member atthe end opposite said socket portion, the projecting portion of saidbase member being arranged for insertion into the socket portion of acontiguous, similar unit, electricity conductors arranged within saidunit and having terminal portions exposed at the ends thereof for interconnection with the conductors of contiguous, similar units, and meanson one of said members to establish the operative position of the othermember relative thereto, whereby uniformity of the extent of projectionof said base member may be obtained.

14. A conductor unit for a wiring system of seriatim interconnectedunits, comprising a cap member and a base member removably securedthereto, said cap and base members cooperating when in assembled status,to provide a socket at one end of the unit and a male projecting portionat the opposite end, electricity conductors arranged within said unitand having terminals at the ends thereof for interconnection withconductors of contiguous, similar units, the points of such connectionbeing wholly within said units and shielded from external contact by thewalls thereof', and abutment means on one of said unit members toestablish the position of the other member relative thereto and theextent of projection of the male portion thereof.

15. The method of shortening an electrical conductor unit having a bodyportion and a cap therefor, comprising the steps of removing said bodyportion from said cap portion, reversing the normal directional'relationship of one of said portions with respect to the other,aligning ends of said base and cap portions respectively, cuttingthrough said cap and base portions to sever the unwanted surplustherefrom, and re-assembling said cap portion and said base portion inproper operative relationship. f

16. The method of shortening an electrical conductor unit having1r acomposite structure embodying sepmabie elements, comprising the steps ofseparating saidelements, reversing the normal position of one of saidelements with respect to the other, severing the unwanted surplus from vsaid elements by a cutting operation, and reassembling said elements torestore the same to proper operative relationship.

JOSEPH F. OBRIEN.

